For many years, air or gas (fluid) bearings have been a natural candidate for high speed turbomachinery design because of the convenience and simplicity of utilizing the process fluid, plant air and/or the ambient atmosphere as a bearing fluid or lubricant. While the process fluid is most readily available as the lubricant, it is oftentimes impure, typically containing various quantities of water, dirt, and/or other contaminants. While fluid bearings have significant advantages, such as design simplicity, relaxation of maintenance and servicing requirements, easing of temperature limitations, low noise, longer bearing life and in some cases reduced friction, these bearings are particularly sensitive to contamination in view of the tight clearances and dimensional controls required.